WWE Royal Rumble 2018: Daily DDT Staff Makes Its Match Predictions

Bryan Heaton

Photo Source: WWE.com

Find out how your favorite writer at Daily DDT sees the WWE Royal Rumble 2018 unfolding.

Ah, January. That wonderful time of the year where Christmas trees become garbage, your favorite football team sees its season end, and WWE decides to start trying again. Yes, WWE Royal Rumble 2018 is just a few days away. The conclusion of the annual event is the unofficial official start to the Road to WrestleMania. So everything matters now!

As has been well documented, this year’s event features the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match. Coupled with the usual Men’s Royal Rumble Match, that means there’s a pair of giant reverse battle royals, each one with a championship opportunity at stake. There’s bound to be some surprise entrants in both matches. But the big question is, who will be the last superstar standing in each match?

SmackDown and Raw will also send their respective world champions into battle against a pair of opponents. Raw’s Universal Champion – Brock Lesnar – defends the title in a triple threat match against Kane and Braun Strowman. But the WWE Championship match sees AJ Styles going up against Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens – in a handicap match.

Each brand also has a tag team championship match on the docket. The bigger hype seems to be focused on SmackDown’s intense rivalry. At the Rumble, The Usos will put the titles on the line against Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin. From the Raw brand, champs Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan put their rocky partnership to the test against former champs The Bar – Cesaro and Sheamus.

Now, it’s time for the Daily DDT staff to make our predictions. We’re a pretty varied bunch, so we gave everyone the option to give their two cents about the Rumble. Some contributors talked about the whole card, others just on a match or two.

Here’s how the Daily DDT staff sees the WWE Royal Rumble 2018 unfolding.

Photo Source: WWE.com

Raw Tag Team Championship Match

Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan (c) vs. Cesaro & Sheamus

Bryan Heaton: The big story in play is the rift between Jordan and Rollins. Even though they’re the champs, they can’t coexist. My money is on an eventual feud between the two, perhaps as soon as now. Cesaro and Sheamus can then move on to face another hot babyface team – surprisingly, that’s Gallows and Anderson of the Balor Club. So I’m taking Cesaro and Sheamus at the Rumble.

Christopher Jeter: Jordan’s heel turn is coming. WWE planted the seeds of dissent last Monday on RAW, when Rollins accidentally kneed Jordan in the face. I’ll pick Cesaro and Sheamus to regain the tag straps and probably face Titus O’Neil and Apollo Crews at Elimination Chamber. Rollins and Jordan are likely headed for a collision at WrestleMania.

Jack Clayton: If the rumors are true, then Seth Rollins will be going against Jason Jordan come WrestleMania. So something will need to split them apart, i.e losing the tag team titles. By doing this, it not only allows Cesaro and Sheamus to remain dominant on Raw, but also begin a well told story for Rollins and Jordan. What should happen is Jordan, trying to prove he’s one of the greats, tries to win the match on his own, which eventually makes Rollins lose, costing them the titles. If Jordan then turns heel, and then tries to prove he’s better than Rollins, it begins a hopeful road to WrestleMania.

Joe Soriano: What do I even say about this match? It’s going to be very good, but I just have a hard time getting invested in this one, let alone predicting a winner. But I’m going with Rollins and Jordan, because I think they drop the titles and feud later.

Josiah MacDonald: I’m not sure if it’s time to pull the switch here yet, but with how they have been hinting that Jordan and Rollins can’t work together, it seems Cesaro and Sheamus will be walking out as champions.

Warren Hayes: I have a crazy, coo-coo scenario in my head where Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan break up and fight each other at WrestleMania and it will be an awesome match. Now for that to happen, Seth and JJ need to hang onto the straps a little longer, get closer to WrestleMania, so I do not think they will be losing at Royal Rumble. I believe Rollins and Jordan retain and Cesaro and Sheamus get officially bumped out of the title picture.

Photo Source: WWE.com

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match – Two Out of Three Falls

The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin

Bryan Heaton: First off, I’m making this my pick for Match of the Night, Non-Battle Royal Category. There are four supremely talented individuals in the match, and the tag division is the clear highlight on Tuesday nights – the rest of the show has been a drag lately. I think the trigger is finally pulled on Gable and Benjamin – the Dusty Finish a few weeks back tested the waters, but it’s beyond time.

Christopher Jeter: Will WWE give this match enough time? On a four-hour show, it’s a pretty safe bet. This match will probably be booked like all best-of-three falls matches: heels win the first fall before the babyfaces eventually comeback and win. The Usos have possible match with The Bludgeon Brothers waiting, so I’ll pick them to retain their belts in the possible match of the night.

Jack Clayton: Gable and Benjamin have been one the better up and coming teams in the Tag Team Division. Not only are both of them incredibly talented in the ring, but their latest run with #FreeTheTagTeamChampionships slogan has been highly entertaining. What will most likely happen is somehow, they will cheat to obtain one of the falls in the best 2 out of 3 match, giving them the advantage. By taking the titles off the Usos, this allows them to have an amazing match at WrestleMania, with it being even better if it’s against the New Day.

Joe Soriano: I know some of you would love to see the Usos defend the title at WrestleMania, and you know what? So would I. But SmackDown Live has jerked around Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable long enough, teasing them as champions here and there. They deserve better than that, and that especially goes for Benjamin, who didn’t come back to WWE to “just miss” against the Usos.

(And isn’t Jey Uso due for a punishment? DWI is no joke, and Vince McMahon did just tell reporters at his XFL press conference that he won’t sign players who have committed this crime. So, yeah, grain of salt, but the WWE should take this seriously.)

Josiah MacDonald: I think it might be time to pull the switch here and have Gable & Benjamin win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. With the story they have been telling, this seems to make the most sense.

Warren Hayes: Yes, the Usos are great. They are fantastic. They were unquestionably WWE’s best team in 2017. But I’d also say that the SmackDown Live’s tag division is the best in WWE and the title scene needs a little shaking up. Benjamin and Gable have been doing phenomenal work in their feud with Jimmy and Jey and need to be rewarded. The Usos are super over, they can take the loss.

Photo Source: WWE.com

Universal Championship Triple Threat Match

Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Braun Strowman vs. Kane

Bryan Heaton: My head says Lesnar is going to retain because of the impending coronation of King Roman at WrestleMania. My heart says BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN (maybe I should see a doctor). Ah, gotta go with the head here, and Lesnar takes it by pinning Kane.

Christopher Jeter: On Sunday, Kane should walk out wearing a big red shirt that says “Pin Me” on the front. WWE clearly put “The Devil’s Favorite Demon” in this match to take the deciding fall, ensuring that Strowman doesn’t lose to Lesnar again. Strowman has a ton of momentum heading into this match thanks to him most recent path of destruction, but WWE seems determined to book Reigns vs. Lesnar for WrestleMania. I’ll take Lesnar to pin Kane after an F-5.

Jack Clayton: There’s no question that week after week, Braun Strowman has been putting on the most memorable moments of Monday Night Raw. However, he won’t be winning the Universal Title just yet. The rumor has been for almost a year that the main event of WrestleMania will consist of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, with Reigns winning the title. Although its safe to assume this will be a good match, the outcome will be seen a mile away. To save Strowman from taking the pin and losing his credibility, it is most likely that Kane will end up on his back for the pinfall.

Joe Soriano: Brock Lesnar actually puts on good multi-man matches, and I expect Braun Strowman to carry this one until Lesnar F5’s Kane back into hell. This one is between Lesnar and Strowman, but the WWE has come so far with Lesnar that he ain’t losing before the main event of WrestleMania 34 against the Big Dog with the Big Hog. As for Strowman, he’s more over than the Universal Title, which isn’t even half as valuable as the Intercontinental Championship.

Josiah MacDonald: As I argued in my article on this match, I’m not sure it’s the right time to beat Brock just yet. Lesnar retains.

Warren Hayes: Brock is protected. Braun is protected. Kane is not. Kane is in this match to take a pin. The question is: from whom? Safe money is Brock Lesnar. But who wants safe, right? I mean, aside from banks. Banks want safes. To put valuables in. And lockboxes. And bearer bonds. I predict WWE swerves the hell out of us and gives the title to Braun, only to have Brock reclaim it before Mania under a “I was never defeated for the title” angle, which will lead to a stip match.

Photo Source: WWE.com

WWE Championship Handicap Match

AJ Styles (c) vs. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens

Bryan Heaton: Not gonna lie, after slogging through three hours of Raw every week to bring you all quality #content, making it through SmackDown the next night is sometimes a chore. What I can say is that whatever hasn’t put me to sleep on Tuesdays as of late has been BRUTAL. I hate everything about this feud, from the ridiculous setup for the match to the constant involvement of Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan. Unless Sami is turning on KO for some unknown reason, Styles retains.

Christopher Jeter: Even with the handicap match stipulation, it’s hard to imagine Styles dropping the title on Sunday. Styles will likely take advantage of an Owens and Zayn miscue, allowing him to keep the gold. Having two wrestlers as WWE Champion is a wacky idea that I wouldn’t envision WWE pulling the trigger on during the summer, let alone WrestleMania season. I’ll pick Styles to pin Zayn, allowing him to move on to a big match with Nakamura.

Jack Clayton: AJ Styles is without a doubt the best performer in the WWE, possibly in all of wrestling at the moment. And it looks like WWE is well aware of that, putting their big title on him once again. Unlike some, the WWE title fits just fine on Styles, and it doesn’t seem like he’s losing it anytime soon. With the talent that all three of these men have, this will definitely be a well done match, possibly best of the night. Although he’s lost to both Owens and Zayn on SmackDown in recent weeks, it’s most likely that somehow Styles will retain the title and carry it into WrestleMania.

Joe Soriano: AJ Styles is getting his WWE Championship singles match at WrestleMania, and neither Sami Zayn nor Kevin Owens are stopping that. I mean, do you really want to see Owens in a title match at WrestleMania? When was the last time one of his title matches was actually any good? I’ll wait… YEP, it was that amazing match at the Rumble last year when he defended the Universal Title against Reigns.

Josiah MacDonald: I can’t see AJ losing the title here. The best direction to go in is to have Styles win.

Warren Hayes: Since they pulled an injury angle on SmackDown Live this week to cover the fact that Owens is dealing with legit injuries, Sami will likely do most of the heavy lifting against Styles. Which is fine, because the two can give us a stellar match. But, Styles will win and retain amidst Shane and Daniel Bryan shenanigans that will spark the first true open hostilities between the two.

Photo Source: WWE.com

Women’s Royal Rumble Match

Bryan Heaton: Royal Rumble Matches are my favorite WWE production. Even bad Rumbles have so many moving parts, you can find something to enjoy. They’re also crazy hard to predict at times, and the first Women’s Royal Rumble Match needs to have a superstar who can live up to the hype and history come out as the winner. So as much as I anticipate James Ellsworth shenanigans, I think Becky Lynch wins – and Carmella will cash in her Money in the Bank contract for a triple threat at WrestleMania against Charlotte Flair.

Christopher Jeter: Among the confirmed names, Asuka stands out as the favorite to win. However, a match between her and Alexa Bliss doesn’t feel WrestleMania-worthy, unless Bliss loses the belt beforehand. On the SmackDown side Becky Lynch seems like the favorite to earn a title match at WrestleMania.

But then there’s the spectre of Ronda Rousey. Since Stephanie McMahon announced this match on RAW, fans and writers began speculating about the former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion’s possible entry into the Rumble. If Rousey enters the Rumble, and that’s still a big if, then she has to win. This would set up money matches with either Charlotte or Asuka (assuming Asuka wins the title in the near future). It might not happen, but I’m picking Rousey.

Daniel Wood: For the women’s I think it’s also going to be a SmackDown Superstar, with Becky Lynch winning it. I feel that Asuka or Ronda Rousey are too obvious (even though Rousey hasn’t even signed with WWE yet as far as we know) so I’d like the WWE to pull a pleasant surprise and go with one of the Four Horsewomen.

Jack Clayton: For the first time in history, there will be a Women’s Royal Rumble, and it couldn’t be more exciting. In the past two years the women have been seen taking place in the same matches as the men have, including Hell in a Cell, and even Money in the Bank. But now it is time for the Royal Rumble and there is only one person that can win this: the Empress of Tomorrow. While there are some strong looking performers in the match like Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks, WWE is not going to have Asuka‘s undefeated streak broke here. She will definitely win and take the title off Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania.

Joe Soriano: I highly doubt Ronda Rousey will be involved, and I am even more certain that Stephanie McMahon won’t be involved. The WWE will finally play their cards right here, and, no, they won’t go with the obvious answer in Asuka, who can easily win that title off of Alexa Bliss. Your winner is going to be Becky Lynch, and she’s going to defeat Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34 for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. And oh yeah, Becky is going to be the babyface (Sami Zayn can shove it).

Josiah MacDonald: I can only see two really viable winners here – Asuka or Ronda Rousey. I see Rousey winning and going on to challenge Charlotte, while Asuka goes on to defeat Alexa Bliss. We can wait a year, and get the mega match between an undefeated Rousey and Asuka later in the year, or at next year’s WrestleMania.

Warren Hayes: As much as I am a drooling Asuka mark, I don’t think she will be winning the women’s Royal Rumble match. I expect her to be in the final four, only to be screwed out of the final spot through interference from Alexa Bliss or Nia Jax. There is only one real, true women’s money match in WWE right now, and it is Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch. Becky deserves to win and be in a high profile match at Mania.

Photo Source: WWE.com

Men’s Royal Rumble Match

Bryan Heaton: Woof, so many possible winners, and none of them seem super inspiring. Roman Reigns? Meh. John Cena? Ugh. Randy Orton? God, no. Daniel Bryan? HAHAHAHAHAHA please don’t believe that’s a possibility even for a second. So I’m thinking swerve: Brock Lesnar retains earlier in the night, Braun Strowman is super mad, and destroys Curtis Axel on the way to the ring to steal his spot. Strowman wins, and everyone in Philly is thrilled. (Where’s your crown, King Roman?)

Christopher Jeter: Just like last year, there doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite heading into the men’s Rumble. Roman Reigns seems destined to face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania, but I don’t he gets there via the Rumble. WWE would be insane to have Reigns win in Philadelphia again after they serenaded him with boos three years prior. I think a SmackDown star wins the Rumble again this year. Dolph Ziggler has emerged as a darkhorse favorite, but he’s been booked too poorly to challenge for the WWE Title at Mania. Randy Orton induced groans when he won last year. I doubt WWE goes back to that well again. So I’ll pick Shinsuke Nakamura to win, setting up a dream match with AJ Styles at WrestleMania.

Daniel Wood: For the men’s I think the winner will be Shinsuke Nakamura or Dolph Ziggler. Brock Lesnar isn’t scheduled for the Elimination Chamber which means the Elimination Chamber Match is likely to be a #1 contendership match, which means Reigns doesn’t need to win the Rumble. If Cena is wrestling Undertaker as rumored then he doesn’t need to win the Rumble either so I have to give it to one of either of SmackDown Live’s two most underused Superstars. Let’s say Ziggler from out of left field.

Jack Clayton: With names like John Cena and Shinskue Nakamura in the Royal Rumble this year, there is no clear idea who could possibly win this year’s Rumble. It most likely won’t be Reigns, as hopefully they allow him to win the Elimination Chamber to set up his match with Lesnar. And while many want to see Nakamura win and face Styles, but the person who should win is current favorite, Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler, who hasn’t been seen since relinquishing the US Title, not only would be a pleasant surprise in the match, but would also put on a stellar match with Styles at Wrestlemania. With as great of performers as these two are, the outcome of Ziggler winning would be what’s best for business.

Joe Soriano: You know who’s going to win the Men’s Rumble? Oh, you think it’s Finn Balor? How cute! Shinsuke Nakamura? God, you are such a smark. It’s Roman Reigns. Believe that. And the sooner you come to the grips with it, the better you’ll feel. It’s not like the guy has had a single bad match in the calendar year, so, yeah, quite your petty complaining and just enjoy a Rumble match for once in your life.